Sign-frame.



HARRY BENNEWIS, OE IEHILADELlPI-IIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SIGN-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16,1912.

Application filed October 19, 1910. Serial No. 588,002.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY BENNEWIS, a citizen of the Unlted States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sign-Frames; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oft-he invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention is in the nature of an improved sign frame which embodies novel features of construction whereby the usual sign cards may be displayed by the frame, and additional sign cards clamped to the sides of the frame, should such be found desirable.

The invention further contemplates a sign frame in which the sides thereof are adapted to receive clamping members for securing supplemental signs in position, the said clamping members being constructed to admit of the supplemental signs being easily and quickly removed or replaced as may be found desirable.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sign frame constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View through one side of the frame, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of the clamping member.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, in which is illustrated one embodiment of the invention, the numerals l designate the side pieces of a sign frame, the said side pieces being connected at their upper ends by a cross piece 2, and also at a point spaced from their lower ends by a cross piece 3, the said cross pieces being halved or otherwise suitably oined to the side pieces. The inner edges of the side pieces 1 are formed with the grooves 4 designed to receive the edges of sign cards 5 and 6 which may be applied to the frame in the usual manner. The upper edge of the lower cross piece 3 is also preferably formed with a groove 7 designed to receive the lower edge of the sign card 5. It will be observed that the upper cross piece 2 has a thickness somewhat less than the side pieces 1 so as to leave the upper ends of the grooves 4 entirely unobstructed, thereby admitting of the sign cards being readily slipped in position and removed therefrom as may be found desirable. A wire 16 would be inserted between the various sign cards, intermediate portions of the wire being bent as indicated at 17 to engage the adjacent edges of the sign cards so as to hold them securely in proper position. The outer face of each of the side pieces 1 and the lower cross piece 3 is formed with a longitudinal groove or depression 8 which is designed to cooperate with a clamping rod 9 to hold a supplemental sign in position. These clamping rods 9 are designed to be engaged and held securely in position by means of spring clips 10 which are removably applied to the frame members. These spring clips 10 have a substantially U-shaped formation and are designed to embrace the outer edge of the frame member or strip to which they are applied, the rear arm of each of the said spring clips being preferably somewhat longer than the forward arm and having the extremity thereof bent inwardly and looped at 11 so as to engage the inner edge of theframe member and hold the clip securely against accidental displacement. The shorter and outer arm of each of the spring clips has the extremity thereof extended outwardly and looped to form a finger piece 12 which can be conveniently grasped when placing the clip in position or removing it therefrom. It will thus be apparent that when the spring clips are in position, the shorter and outer arms thereof extend over the clamping rod 9 so as to hold the said clamping rod yieldingly within the groove 8, while the longer arms of the spring clips extend across the rear face of the frame member and engage the inner edge thereof for holding the clips in position. A flexible sign which is formed of paper or some similar material is indicated at 13, one edge of the said flexible sign being forced within the groove 8 of one of the side pieces 1 of the frame by means of a rod 9 and the said rod being held in position by the spring clips 10. A supplemental sign 14: of some stiff material such as sheet metal is shown as applied to the opposite side pieces 1 of the sign frame, and a stiff sign of this character would have a groove 15 pressed in one of the edges thereof for fitting in the groove 8 of the frame member and receiving the clamping rod 9. Vhen it is desired a supplemental sign such as 14. may also be applied to the lower transverse member'3 and another rod 9 is made to fit in the groove 8 and is clamped in a similar way.

-Having thus described the invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A sign support consisting of two vertical members and two transverse members, grooves on the inward side of the said vertical members for the reception of a sign, the lower transverse member adapted to support the sign, grooves on the front sides of both the vertical and lower transverse members, and means cooperating with each of the said grooves for holding additional signs, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY BENNEWIS.

Witnesses DAVID L. MACDONALD, MARY V. MACDONALD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

